Velma Ashworth Thomason

Services for Velma Ashworth Thomason, 101, of Houston, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, November 7, 2013 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend D. Nick Sholars officiating. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park.

Mrs. Thomason was born to Genie and Marion T. Ashworth on July 13, 1912, in Diboll, Texas. She passed away Sunday, November 3, 2013 in Houston, where she resided for 15 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, J. D. Thomason; her parents; and her brothers, Hollis, Finis, E. E. “Bill”, Curtis, and Garland “Bob.”

She graduated from Diboll High School in 1929, and met her future husband while attending Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. They were married in 1938, and lived in Beaumont/Orange during World War II, then returned to Diboll and Lufkin. After her husband’s death in 1967, she moved to Texas City to be near family. In 1998, she moved to Houston to be with her children.

Velma was a gifted storyteller, teacher, and book reviewer whose goal in life was to make a reader and life-long learner of everyone whose life she touched. She worked at Kurth Memorial Library in Lufkin for 22 years and Moore Memorial Library in Texas City until she retired at 79 years of age. From one-room school houses in Upshur and Polk counties in the 1930s to first grade in Orange, Texas in the 1940s, Velma enjoyed working with students in the classroom.

A dedicated member, Velma served her church all her life as Sunday School teacher of children and adults in the Methodist churches in Diboll, First United Methodist Lufkin, and St. John Methodist in Texas City. Her life was spent in devotion to her family and her church.

Survivors include her son, Danny Thomason; daughter, LaNell Thomason Kruse and her husband Lee; grandchildren, Clay Kruse (Naomi), Karin Begley (Jeff), Jay Kruse (Missy), Dana Thomason Greer, Kristen Thomason, Lindsay Thomason (Jackie), Lauren Thomason; and step-great grandson David Lauritsen and his children Kaitlyn and Cade. She has 11 great-grandchildren, 12 nieces and nephews, and many forever friends. She was known and will be remembered by her welcoming smile, the faith that she lived, and her love of children.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until service time on Thursday at the funeral home

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com

Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home